🇺🇸 ATLANTIC CITY MAYOR PRESENTS $25,000 DONATION TO 9/11 MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
Mayor Marty Small, Sr. donated $25,000 to the Saracini-O’Neill Foundation during Atlantic City’s annual September 11 memorial ceremony. The money, raised from the mayor's inaugural gala, will help maintain the local monument honoring those lost in the 2001 terrorist attacks.
📍 ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — SEPTEMBER 11, 2026 — Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr. made a surprise $25,000 donation Friday to the Saracini-O’Neill Foundation during the city’s annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony.
The donation was presented at the Saracini-O’Neill Atlantic City 9/11 Memorial and comes from funds raised through Mayor Small’s Inaugural Gala, held in May. The gala was organized as a charitable event, with proceeds designated to support local organizations and community causes.
The Saracini-O’Neill Foundation is a volunteer organization responsible for maintaining the memorial site and helping preserve its significance for future generations.
🕯️ REMEMBERING SEPTEMBER 11
A large crowd gathered at Jackson Avenue and the Boardwalk as Atlantic City honored the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and recognized the courage and sacrifice of first responders, military personnel and others who answered the call.
The memorial ceremony included:
🇺🇸 Honor guard 🌹 Wreath placement 🎶 Patriotic music 🔔 Bell ceremony 🎺 Taps 🫡 Rifle volley
Mayor Small was joined by members of the Atlantic City Police Department and Atlantic City Fire Department, along with county and state officials, law enforcement representatives, first responders, veterans, families and members of the community.
🏅 2026 HERO AWARD
Atlantic City native Lt. Cmdr. Shane Fox, U.S. Navy (ret.), was also recognized during the ceremony as the recipient of the 2026 Hero Award.
Mayor Small said the donation was an opportunity to support those who work throughout the year to preserve the memorial and ensure its meaning is never forgotten.
💰 GALA PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
The total amount raised during the Inaugural Gala is scheduled to be announced at a news conference on Wednesday, September 16, at 10 a.m. at the Hard Rock Café inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.
Checks will also be presented to local organizations benefiting from the gala proceeds.
🇺🇸 Today, Atlantic City remembered. Today, Atlantic City honored. And today, the city gave back to help preserve that memory for generations to come.
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